Feeding and stacking means for address printing plates



Apnl 22, 1952 HENNlNK 2,594,166

FEEDING AND STACKING MEANS FOR ADDRESS PRINTING PLATES Original Filed Nov. 20, 1945 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 I N VEN TOR.

ATIYJ April 22, 9 H. HENNINK FEEDING AND STACKING MEANS FOR ADDRESS PRINTING PLATES Original Filed Nov. 20, 1945 2 SI-IEETS-Si-IEET 2 I N VEN TOR. //614/vd5 A? ATTY Patented Apr. 22, 1952 OFFICE.

FEEDING AND STACKING MEANS FOR ADDRESS PRINTING PLATES Hermanus Hennink, Utrecht, Netherlands Application June 25, 1947', Serial No. 756,948 In the Netherlands September 2, 1940 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires September 2, 1960 4 Claims. 1

This application is a continuation-in-part to my co-pending application Serial No. 629,736, filed November 20, 1945, now abandoned.

The invention'relates to an addressing machine operating with plates and has for its object to simplify and to improve the device for conveying the used plates with which a print is made from the addressing machine to a tray or receiver collecting said plates in a stack.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the tray for the plates in such a way, that it may receive a great number of plates. e. g. a hundred or more, without increasing the normal height of the addressing machine and without the tray extending beyond the base of the addressing machine so that this machine does not need a specially constructed support but may be placed on any normal table.

Another object of the invention resides in a machine having a support for supporting a tray angularly and perpendicularly to the track for the plates, in which tray a follower is slidably arranged, a finger being provided to periodically shift the follower with the plates, if any, into such a position that each plate, when being ejected from the machine, falls upon the upper edge of the preceding plate in the tray and consequently tilts about an axis parallel to its longitudinal axis.

The drawing shows, by way of example, an embodiment of the addressing machine, whereby the arrangement of the tray and the manner in which the plates are edgewise stored in the tray are illustrated.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the addressing machine,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section of the machine,

Fig. 4 is a side view of the machine, and

Fig. 5 is a schematic view showing the manner in which a plate enters the tray.

The addressing machine comprises a housing I resting on four rubber caps or feet 2.

Below the lid or cover 3 a track 5 is located for guiding the lowermost of the plates 6 which are piled between a guide 1 and a tray 8. This track 5 extends from the pile of plates 6 past the printing station, where the lid 3 is provided with an opening 4 to the ejecting end of the machine. The plates 6 descend by gravity and are moved toward the printing station 4 along the track 5 by a slide 9 to which reciprocating movement is imparted by a downward extension 10 of a printing arm II, which is mounted to oscillate in a bearing [2.

At the end of the machine, where the plates are ejected from the track 5 a sloping support 13 is provided on which a tray i4 is placed into which the discharged plates are collected. This tray I4 which is maintained in place by a resilient member l5, Figure 1, which at the same time serves as a stop for the horizontal movement of the ejected plates 6. lhe tray is provided with a follower I6 slidably supported therein and against which the plates 6 will stack in the tray l4.

A finger ll oscillating around an axle I8 is connected by arm 20 with the extension I!) of the printing arm 1 l by means of a rod [9 and through the intermediary of an abutment member 2|. This member 2| is biased by means of a, tension spring 22 connected at one end 23 to a link 24 and the latter is secured to the abutment member 2| by an adjustable rod 25.

arm 21 connected through a collar 28 to a longer crank arm 29, the arms 21 and 29 and collar 28 being rotatablymounted on a shaft 30. As best seen in Figure 2, the arm 29 is connected to a depending arm 3i of the slide 9.

The device operates as follows: Each time the printing arm H is pushed downward for movin and reci rocating the feed slide 9 towards the right, Figure 2, from under the pile of plates 6, the finger I"! is moved to shift with its tip 3|, Figure 3, the follower l6, together with any plates 6 already stacked in the tray l4, Figure 5, to the correct position for receiving the next plate 6, which is ejected from the track 5 upon the upward movement of the arm II. This position is such that this next plate 6, after being completely freed from the track 5 and still in horizontal position, falls down and, touching the upper edge of the follower IE or the foregoing or last plate 6 in the tray, tilts about a line parallel to its longitudinal axis and is thereby placed edgewise in the tray i4. Before a further plate 6 is ejected from the track 5 all plates and the follower 16 are again shifted to the proper position of the thickness of one plate by the finger [1.

What is claimed is:

1. In an addressing machine with a printing station in which the'address plates pass horizontally and singly through the machine and into a receiving tray arranged under and at right angles to the horizontal path of travel of the individual plates through the machine, said tray being downwardly inclined relative to the path of travel of the used plates, a device for intermittently moving the used plates in the tray 8. distance approximately equal to the thickness of one plate and including a printing arm inter- The link 24 is pivotally". connected by means of pin 26 to a short crank:

3' mittently operable and means structurally related to and responsive to the movement of the printing arm to move the plates in the tray and to feed, a plate singly from. the printinglstation to. and overthe receiving tray to strikethe upper edge of the last stacked plate in the tray near one edge of the incomin plate, causing said in coming plate to tilt and fall substantially upright through the machine, said tray being; downwardly; inclined relative to the path of travel of the used plates, at pivoted finger operative to contact'and move the stacked plates in the receiving tray a distance approximately. equal. to the zthicknesspf oneplate upon each operation of'the prhoting arm, and means connected tothe fingerand: to;

the: plate feed and printing: arm' tor inter.

mittently move the stacked. plates and thezusedi plates so thateach used plate will be movedzoven the receiving tray and to strike the last;staekedt plateflnearr one edge sothat such incomingplates \villifall and turn atright angles to assumelanz upright position in the stack.

3. A method for returning address. platesiinto areceiving tray which is located. below andzatz; approximately right angles to the pathLof, travel of: the plates through the machine andthe: ree

ceiving tray is downwardly inclined relative: to; the .path' of travel of the used plates inthe same: order-in which they were placed in an addressing machine, comprising the steps of individually; feeding the plates through the machine andzdee livering them singly to the receiving tray, simule taneously advancing the stacked used platesin: the tray with each intermittently operablesprints ing stroke a distance approximately equal to the overall thickness of a plate and advancing each used plate over the stacked used plates so that one. edge of each plate will contact the last stacked plate, so that the incominglplate will turn during its fall to align with and come to rest against the last stacked plate.

4. An addressing machine having printing platesandjiprinting means, comprising a housing having atrack for the printing plates, a support secured. to the housing and arranged at right angles and inclined relative to the track for the plates, a. tray on the support inclined downwardly withzvitespectz to the path of travel of the plates, atf ollowerslidably arranged in the tray an oscillating; finger pivotally mounted in the housing and operable to project over the tray for shiftingrthe; follower with the plates supported by it a distance equivalent to the thickness of one plate, means for intermittently actuating, theprinting means,- and means responsiveupon actuating the printin means for operating the finger and sub;- sequently ejecting a plateinto a position; over the tray so that each platewhen ejected from themachine falls upon the upper edge of theme-- ceding plate in the tray; and consequentlystilts;

round an axis parallel to its longitudinaraxis:

'I-IERMANUS HEN REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of recordin" the file: of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

